Police probe petrol station robbery

EASTERN Cape police have launched a manhunt for 10 armed men who robbed the Peddie Engen petrol station on Wednesday last week and made off with cash from the till after struggling to open a drop safe on the premises.

According to eyewitnesses and police sources, five of the gang were armed with assault rifles, the others with pistols.

This comes eight days after the Peddie police station was robbed of 30 police-issued firearms, including 12 assault rifles, 12 hand guns and six shot guns.

The station heist has raised fears of possible large scale robberies with the firearms in the wrong hands. The police station commander was hauled before a top team of investigators from the SA Police Service in Pretoria last week. She has since been transferred.

A police expert said the missing firearms posed a serious threat.

“Two firearms are enough to start a civil war, five firearms can overthrow the government. How much more for 30 firearms in the wrong hands?”

Police have not linked the petrol station heist to the police station robbery.

Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said: “Linking this robbery to the Peddie police station incident is pure speculation and irresponsible at this stage.”

The business robbery took place at 3am on Wednesday.

Mills said the suspects held a petrol attendant and security guard inside the garage at gunpoint and stole about R1 200.

“The group, wearing balaclavas, were not able to get to the safe due to the swift response of police after being alerted about the incident. They fled on foot. Several leads are being followed by organised crime members.” —